


Ima Agaruze Step So Keep on Running Me and You (Now each step takes me forward, so keep on running you and I)

by vogue91



Category: Johnny's Entertainment, KAT-TUN (Band)
Genre: Caring, Friendship, Gen, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 17:09:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14430264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vogue91/pseuds/vogue91
Summary: As much as they could see each other every day, grabbing a few drinks together, having lunch or doing anything else... rarely Koki had seen Kamenashi Kazuya so serene. So much himself.He had seen him laughing more this afternoon than in the past few months; it was true what he had said before, it had been worth it to come here just to see him this happy.





	Ima Agaruze Step So Keep on Running Me and You (Now each step takes me forward, so keep on running you and I)

**Author's Note:**

> The story is set post the Cartoon KAT-TUN SP of the 23rd of April 2008.

Koki sighed, looking at the view around him.

Less than an hour before he had seen the same view, but it looked completely different now.

There were cameras, before. It had been natural, he had reacted just like he would’ve hadn’t those been there, but he had missed not being able to just stop and look.

Now he saw the sun setting on the sea, he saw the outline of the Nokogiriyama and felt completely at ease.

He turned to look at Kamenashi, finding him with the same look on his face.

It had been a nice day; when that morning he had found himself with his friend, without all the others, he had to admit he had felt weird about the plan of spending a whole day with Kame, without being told what to do, let free to go wherever they wanted.

But they had definitely aced it.

They had had fun together, and Koki definitely needed it. With their job, it didn’t happen often for them to have the chance of doing something they enjoyed this much.

Even if he had had a free day, he would’ve hardly picked up the phone to call one of them to take a trip somewhere. Usually, they all tried to recover some sleep and to catch up with all the stuff neglected in favour of shootings, concerts, recording; all things that were part of everyday life, but that he wouldn’t have called funny.

That morning had been different. He had rested during the ride, he had loosened up on the ferry, wandering around with Kame as if they were two kids on a field trip.

The atmosphere was nice, light.

Nothing was written, and he had liked being there with him, just the two of them. It gave him a feeling of familiarity, of warmth that he adored.

And he had a half idea that it that been like that for Kame as well.

As much as they could see each other every day, grabbing a few drinks together, having lunch or doing anything else... rarely Koki had seen Kamenashi Kazuya so serene. So much himself.

He had seen him laughing more this afternoon than in the past few months; it was true what he had said before, it had been worth it to come here just to see him this happy.

Later on the ferry, they both sat lazily staring at the sea in front of them. It was dark outside now, and it was hard to see anything but the lights on the stretch of water; nothing like the view they had from this point in the morning.

Koki looked at Kame by the corner of his eye, noticing that his eyes were closed and he was about to fall asleep. He got closer, flicking on his head.

“You can’t fall asleep until I do, you know it. I’d risk to get bored and extremely annoying.” he joked.

“You’re already annoying.” Kame replied, with a smile.

Koki chuckled, resting his head on his shoulder and looking straight in front of him.

He was about to talk again, silence bothering him right now, but Kame did that first.

“I had a great time today with you.” he murmured, turning to look the other way.

The elder tilted his head and looked at him; it seemed like the other man was embarrassed, and he couldn’t understand why.

“I had a great time too. I really had fun, and it had been a while since we’ve spent some time together you and I, right?” he said, closing his eyes to better underline how at peace he felt.

“It’s true, it’s been a while. But with our schedule, there’s never really time to do something together.” Kame spoke more confidently now, going back to look at the see.

Koki started lazily poking a finger on his face, amused by the way the younger writhed to avoid it.

He was relaxed; yes, he had seen Kame happier, but the truth was that he hadn’t been all that good as well these past few months.

As much as he loved his job, the shadows under his eyes had gotten too dark even for him.

But it wasn’t just that; it wasn’t just letting go that had made him feel good that day. Being with Kame, being alone with him right now, had played its role too.

Since they had first met, ten years ago now, Koki had always felt a weird sense of protection for him.

He could find a reason for that in Kame’s very own nature: inclined to get stressed over nothing, to build house of cards and suffer way too much when they crumbled down. Inclined to care too much about other people’s opinion, which a few years before had lead him to stop eating because of those fans – that weren’t truly fans – bashing him for the ‘Shuuji to Akira’ thing with Yamashita.

Koki remembered how much he had hated them.

He had because Kame had suddenly stopped smiling, because he had been completely off for a while. He had hated them because they had lead him to believe that the rest of KAT-TUN could manage without him, which was the farthest thing from the truth.

And it had been then that their relationship had deepened. When Koki arrived not invited at his house and dragged him out, when he spent hours sitting in front of him and telling him how foolish was what he was doing, or even talking about trivialities in the attempt to distract him.

It had taken him and all the others more than a year, but in the end they had brought the smile back on Kame’s face.

He remembered that moment clearly:  they were sitting in the green room waiting to shoot the Cartoon KAT-TUN, Taguchi had said something particularly moronic, as usual, and Koki had started mocking him.

Kazuya then had smiled; nothing particularly deep or lasting, but it was seen by all of them like a huge step forward.

The fact that he had gone over that phase, for Koki, didn’t mean that he still didn’t need a shoulder to cry on, from time to time, or even just a friend to spend his time with.

And he had always been careful to be that friend for him.

That was why they both felt a little sad now, realizing they hadn’t had time to be with each other lately.

They wished they could’ve done better, that they could’ve gotten together more, even to sit on a couch and talk.

Meeting every day at work was far from being the same thing.

“So, how’s it going lately?” Koki asked, his eyes still closed, hearing the other sigh.

“Not bad. It’s... well, better. Work’s good, Jin’s too. I had lunch at my parents’, at least I’ve spent some time with my niece. I hadn’t seen them in a while, I missed them.” Koki opened his eyes and saw him smiling, as usual when he mentioned the kid. “What about you? How are you doing?” he asked then, in a rush, as if afraid of appearing indelicate if he hadn’t asked.

The elder chuckled; Kame was never going to lose the habit of feeling guilty toward him, as if he was the only one to talk without giving him room to do as much.

He sat back up straight, raising his legs and resting his chin on his knees, then turned to look at him.

“Don’t sweat it. I’m always fine.” he said, all haughty.

He didn’t really need to vent; when he wanted to, he just started talking. And Kame had learnt that it was rare for him to choose to open up, to admit that there was something wrong, so he let him do as he pleased.

But now, Koki really had nothing to say.

He had no issues, nothing to complain about, no regrets at all.

And had there been, he wasn’t going to ruin the peace of that moment with anything.

“You’d tell me if there was something wrong, wouldn’t you?” the younger asked again, just to be sure.

Koki laughed out loud, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

“I would, don’t worry. You’re the one who needs to be checked regularly, so don’t concern your pretty little head about me.” he mocked him, smirking.

Kamenashi glared, trying to wiggle out of the hold.

“Why should I need it?” he asked, pretending to have gotten offended. Koki shrugged, then looked at him ironically.

“You never know what you could do, if left unattended. It’s a hard path, kid.” he replied, crossing his arms and looking as formal as he could.

“Should I remind you I’m like six months younger than you, Koki?”

“It’s not about age.” the elder pointed out, hitting his head.

“You’re not funny.” Kame said, but he was smiling.

Koki kept quiet, just smiling back.

Yeah, it definitely wasn’t about age.

It was character, it was what had happened in the past, it was the time spent together... all things making a difference.

He felt weirdly old when he looked at him, but he knew the feeling was the wrong one.

It was fair to think he had grown, for those smiles on his face finally lacking any shadows, for that more confident attitude, because now he could look at his past without any grudge.

Koki was glad about what Kamenashi Kazuya had become.

He rested his head on his shoulder again, getting comfortable.

“Now you can sleep if you want. I’m starting to get tired too.” he conceded, closing his eyes.

“My, _thanks_.” the other replied, sarcastic.

They kept still for a while, and Koki was starting to think the younger had actually fallen asleep, when he heard him.

“Koki... thank you. Really.” he murmured.

The elder smiled, proud.

“It’s an honour, Kazuya.” he joked, getting even closer. “Thanks yo you.” he added then.

“Of what?” the other asked, confused.

“Nothing, let it go. Sleep.” he said, deaf to Kame’s protests.

He had a thousand things to thank him for, even though the younger didn’t realize that.

He had to thank him because he had always listened to him, because he had never disappointed him. Because he was there, now, making him feel at ease, calm. Happy.

In comparison, what Koki had done for him was nothing.

What they had done together, instead, was everything.

 


End file.
